CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio --- City Council has agreed to hold off on seeking development proposals for the Coventry School site, at least until a public hearing is held.

And with that, the community input continued Monday with more than an hour of comments from current tenants and their supporters, who numbered close to 100 in and outside of council chambers.

Aside from lobbying to keep a local center for the arts on the six-acre site, tenants renewed their request to extend what would become month-to-month leases in the school.

The school closed in 2006, and is now at full capacity with nonprofit tenants, from the long-running Ensemble Theatre to Artful Cleveland, which had a grand opening for 18 new studios in March.

But with an estimated $1 million in repairs needed -- most of that for a new roof -- the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District wants the city to market the property.

Council was scheduled to authorize City Manager Tanisha Briley to issue the combined "Request for Qualifications and Preliminary Development Proposals" on Monday (June 19).

"We're not quite ready for it to go forward without a public hearing first," Mayor Cheryl Stephens said prior to the regular meeting. "I don't think that taking a step back and delaying this two or three weeks will hurt."

Stephens also pointed out that it would be the prudent thing to do in an election year for council, adding that "not listening to the public is unwise."

Councilman Michael Ungar noted the likely timeline already called for presentations by finalists to the city and school board in August and entering into contract negotiations with a selected development team in September.

And with Briley comparing the process to the "Top of the Hill" project -- where the city switched to a new developer after more than six months -- that time frame could be extended as well.

"We need to do the best we can to make an uncertain situation a little better for the tenants, who are looking at a cloudy future," Ungar said of the leases.

The other big concern for neighbors and council is the preservation of at least some of Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park, which stands for "People Enhancing a Child's Environment."

Coventry restaurant owner Tommy Fello addressed both issues, noting that almost 25 years ago, 400 volunteers worked in the rain to make the park a part of the neighborhood.

"These days it is so difficult to run a business on a five-year plan, much less a month-to-month lease," Fello noted.

Roughly 100 people turned out for the June 19 Cleveland Heights City Council meeting to discuss the potential sale of the Coventry School property.

Resident Elizabeth Berezovsky said she takes her three-year-old to Coventry playground every evening and on weekends.

"The idea of a vacant building is scary," Berezovsky said. "And no P.E.A.C.E. Park is unimaginable."

A draft of the city's RFP/RFQ notes that the school would likely be torn down to make way for residential or potentially mixed-use, "such as, but not limited to, an arts-centered development."

Council members said the decision to seek further community input is no reflection on the work that city staff has already done on the RFP/RFQ, which already calls for incorporating and integrating greenspace and the P.E.A.C.E. park into the design and development.

Speaking for eight of the 11 nonprofit tenants in the building, Ensemble Theatre board member Jack Valancy thanked council for continuing for a "creative, open and inclusive process."

In addition to one-year leases, Valancy requested a 6-month non-renewal notice if a developer is secured, as well as a 90-day delay for more community input including discussion of medium-density housing.

As an incentive to the city and school district, Valancy said the tenants would guarantee covering the operating expenses for the building, once that information is provided.

Many of the roughly 20 speakers on Monday noted that the arts have become a selling point in Cleveland Heights, and that some artists have moved here due to gentrification forcing them out elsewhere, from San Francisco to Tremont.

Former Master Plan Steering Committee member Lou Radivoyevitch told council that "these are good businesses run by even better people," adding that it is difficult to find new businesses for those that already exist.

Architect Alex Pesta spoke of "putting businesses in the right place to succeed," and bringing potential developers into "robust community discussion."

Ensemble Treasurer Ian Hinz started out working on productions at Cain Park, noting that it was always sad when the theater shut down for the season.

For the past six years, that season has continued through the Ensemble Theatre, which pays all actors and staff, yet still offers the lowest ticket prices in the region.

"We are much more than just a tenant in this building and in this community," Hinz told council. "You need to decide whether you want to continue to invest in an experiment that is working."

Artful Cleveland board member Hillary Lyon noted that a high concentration of the arts in a community leads to higher civic engagement.

"As a result, you get educated, interesting and involved people -- which is why most of us are here tonight," Lyon said, while Artful board president Brady Dindia noted that the current space also provides handicapped access for artists and art lovers.

With a date for the public hearing still to be set, Stephens thanked everyone for their patience and collaborative spirit.

"We are not just listening -- we are willing to incorporate your thoughts into this process," Stephens said. "And we thoroughly understand that we need to be a little more open in moving forward."